Well here I am again so let you all in whats really going on. Part 1, consider it a preamble.

Goal: requirements ie Start of the Plan.

Requirements

Control

Command_Name

(variable)

Channel

Number

Digital

Ports

Header 5

Header 6

Arduino mega for hardware (this gives me 16 analog inputs)

Use CAN bus for communications

Use big joystick for the software. and modify it to work with more analog inputs, communication via CAN bus versus USB which has its share of problems. big one: device ports /dev/ports will change with changing configurations, and or moving it.